Takkar the Beastmaster
by Omegas Prime
Summary: Literary version of Primal, with some of my own twists. Takkar has come to Oros. But the Wenja have been scattered by the savage Udam and the zealous Izila. Takkar will rise to become the Beastmaster, as well as the new Chief of the Wenja. He will bring peace to Oros through war and savagery. For that is the nature of the world.
1. Sayla the Gatherer

**I had this made months after Primal came out and completely forgot about it. I think I nearly lost it in my last PC, but thankfully it was backed up. I found quite a few stories I worked on before. I can't guarantee updates of this because of my other stories, but hey, these chapters are short, so maybe I can update quickly. Anywho, enjoy!**

The need for connection and community is primal, as fundamental as the need for air, water, and food.

-Dean Ornish

Hunt or be hunted

That's the rule of nature.

It was a rule all Wenja lived by.

The world was an unforgiving place.

At least that's what Takkar felt.

His hunting party was dead. The man he saw as a father, a mentor, was dead. Killed by the bloody fanged tiger.

Tired, hungry . . . alone. What was a lone hunter to do, but go home? To someplace familiar.

But this was not familiar and he was not the only one alone.

"Where are other Wenja?" Takkar asked after gazing around the empty cave.

The gatherer, Sayla, just stared at Takkar. Slowly, she stood up, and spoke a name like a curse. "Ull. The Udam leader. He destroy Wenja home."

She walked over to a cave painting of a large black figure, with a bloody red handprint on its chest. Her fist collided with the painting. Sayla punched it again and again, like she believed hitting the painting was the same as hitting this "Ull."

Fists bloody, her breath panting, Sayla turned back to Takkar. "Udam kill many Wenja." She collapsed into Takkar's arms, her breath was getting heavier by the second. "Now all Wenja walk alone. No home in Oros."

The gatherer started to cry. But Takkar was more concerned with the blood on his hands then Sayla's tears. He looked at her back and saw the deep gashes. Very bad wounds. Sayla laughed, seeming to forget her anguish at the moment.

"Tiger bite deep."

"I help." He said, trying to comfort the woman.

Sayla winced from his touch, now starting to feel the wound. She pointed outside the cave, just passed the hill. "Green leaves outside. Bring to me."

Wordlessly the hunter left to get her medicine.

Sayla watched the hunter leave her domicile. She almost wanted to shout out "Stay!" Afraid that the Udam would find him and Takkar would just become another scream in her head. But she needed leaves and she was in no condition to move so much. So she stayed quiet.

She pondered. How long had it been since she talked to someone? How long had it been since she shared a meal? She hadn't realized how good it was to talk to someone. To not feel alone.

There were still Wenja in Oros. Scattered to the winds, but still there. But they were all put off by her. They thought she was cursed, not because she lost everyone she cared about, but because their screams haunted her and no one else could hear them. Only the ears of Udam could sate the screams. For a while.

A new fear popped into her head now. Would Takkar leave her like the others? Abandon her for being cursed? That scared her more than the tiger and perhaps even more then the Udam. She didn't want to be alone! Not again! She whined in pain. Not from her wounds, but from the achiness in her chest.

What was this? Why did being alone hurt? Why did the UDAM have to take EVERYTHING and curse her?!

Why?

WHY?

WHY?!

She was about to scream along with the agonized wails in her head, but her mind was pulled back to reality by Takkar's words.

"Sayla."

She turned around and saw the man hold out to her the green leaves. She smiled in relief seeing him, but Takkar thought she was just happy to have pain relievers.

Sayla grabbed the herbs and put them in her mouth. Her hand grabbed Takkar's empty ones as she chewed the leaves. Touching him calmed her down a little.

"Screams loud today." She said looking into the fire before looking at the hunter. "You hear?"

"Screams?" Takkar asked confused.

Sayla didn't answer. She just looked at him before spitting the chewed up plants into his hand.

"Push deep into the wound." She said turning around, providing easy access to the bloody gash on her back.

His first attempt to do so caused her to grunt in pain. Sayla grabbed a stick and put in her mouth to clench through the pain and screams.

Takkar started again when she gave the go-ahead. He placed pieces of the chewed up leaves deep into her wounds. Each press caused her to grunt in pain. When he was done, the gatherer gave him a leaf that he used to bandage the wound as the herbs did their healing effects.

"Thank you." Sayla said. Relieved that the worst was over.

Takkar nodded and stood up. "I go now and see Oros."

She looked up at him. She wanted him to stay. She got up and looked at the land outside her cave. Warning him of all the dangers the valley had to offer, from bears, to wolves, to the Udam themselves.

But Takkar was adamant. "I go to find Wenja. I tell them of this place. That it is safe."

Sayla's eyes widened. He would tell the Wenja to come to her cave? Yes, her cave was safe. Udam barely bother her here. She wouldn't be alone anymore? She was still afraid for Takkar, but the hope of more Wenja coming was too much for her and she nodded her head in agreement.

"Cave is safe for you. It your home now. Tell other Wenja of this place." She said.

Takkar nodded and then walked back out into the land of Oros.


	2. Tensay the Shaman

How many moons had it been since he felt such a strong spirit? This, Tensay did not know. Not since the arrival of the Udam and the Izila had he felt such strength.

Takkar.

A strong name.

The man did not know it, but he was powerful.

Tensay looked down at the Wenja sprawled out on his floor. The Izila may have blinded him in one eye, but the Shaman could see the aura radiating off of the hunter. He had a strong connection with spirits and their world.

Gasping, Tensay saw Takkar soaring through the skies. He traversed the spirit world as well as a shaman would. Taking to it as if he himself belonged there. Tensay focused and saw that Takkar was chasing . . . an owl!

"Oh! Great! Great!" Tensay laughed excitedly. "Paint! Where's paint?"

He needed to immortalize this. So that generations from now all would remember. He found the paints and started drawing on the cave walls. Every animal in Oros had a special aspect that made them unique. Lions were fierce, bears were familial, jaguars were fast, mammoths were strong, and owl were wise.

The Owl was intelligent and the Owl Spirit always sought out those who were special in mind. The owl didn't choose just anyone though. Gasping again, Tensay saw Takkar walk on a path. The animals in all their golden splendor gave him a respectful birth. They watched Takkar walk up the hill and approach the owl.

The hunter scared it off, but with patience and cunning, he called the owl back to him and it came willingly. Landing on his arm, the owl spirit materialized, becoming one with Takkar's spirit. The two would forever be connected.

Takkar turned around and saw all the animals of Oros, both predator and prey alike, bow down to him.

Tensay was brought out of his visions and just in time to hear the Wenja stir awake.

"You bond with owl." Tensay said, adding more detail to the cave painting.

"A dream." Takkar said groggily.

"No dream! The owl has named you Beast Master!" Tensay said excitedly.

"Beast Master?"

"Yes! Go, Beast Master! Calm the spirits of the wild. Make them join your fight!" Tensay returned to his painting. When Takakr's vision settled and his vertigo disappeared he saw the painting of all of Oros' beasts surrounding a single man with an owl above him.

Was that supposed to be him?

After getting over his vertigo, Takkar approached Tensay about his real reason for coming to the Shaman's cave.

"Join me. Wenja gather in the west. The farthest cave."

"Ear Woman's cave." Tensay said unsurely. "I follow your light. I have no choice. I gather other Wenja. Bring them west."

Takkar nodded and left the cave. As soon as he stepped out into the sunlight, he spotted an owl high up in a tree. On instinct, he whistled, and the bird flew down and perched onto his arm. It stared at him with its big eyes and screeched in a friendly manner.

Tensay came up behind him, carrying a bag of herbs.

"The owl has chosen you, Beast Master!" He said boisterously. "Can you bond with howling beast? Tame the white wolf, leader of the pack. Only you can calm his wild spirit."

Takkar turned his attention away from the shaman and back to his bird friend. "Find white wolf." He threw out his arm and the owl went to search for the beast.

Tensay held out the bag he was carrying to Takkar. "Herbs for healing. Wolves make nasty wounds. Just in case."

"Thank you, Tensay."

"I follow the Beast Master."


	3. Ull the Savage

Sayla walked through her new village with a beaming smile on her face. Many Wenja avoided her for this, thinking once again she was being strange, but this could not sour her mood.

Wenja. Wenja everywhere she looked! She wasn't alone anymore! Even if they were nervous around her, she was just happy to see the Wenja back together.

Her hand glided over the skins of her hut. No longer did she live in the cave, instead a hut, like all the others. It was hers. Her home. It was almost enough to bring a tear to her eye. And what made it better: Takkar helped make it for her.

Takkar was actually the one who gathered all the materials they'd need to build a village. He made long treks through Oros, with the help of his beasts, and carried, timber, reeds, slate, and animal skins. Sayla was actually quite jealous of Takkar's gathering skills. He was more resourceful then his mere warrior appearance would suggest.

But while he provided building materials for the village, he did not help set up, except for hers and Tensay's huts. She looked south toward Tensay's hut and saw the shaman dancing joyously in front of his new home. Wenja were already gathering around for physical and spiritual healing.

Smiling, Sayla went into her tent and grabbed something before leaving and heading back toward the cave. The same cave that she met Takkar in.

As she walked through the village, she counted the number of Wenja she saw. She liked to remind herself just how large their village was becoming. To her estimate, they had 38 Wenja and that number was growing by the day thanks, in large part, to Takkar. The Wenja that arrived came in three categories: Wenja that were personally saved by Takkar from the Udam, Izila or beasts, Wenja that followed Tensay and sought out his aid, and lastly, Wenja that wanted to see the Beast Master.

She looked up at the rocks and saw a couple of wolves watching over the village. Normally that would be cause for concern, but everyone knew that the wolves lazily lying on the rocks were sentinels placed by Takkar to warn him if the village ever came under attack.

When Takkar had told her that he was now called the Beast Master, she laughed. But he spooked her by making his white wolf sneak up behind her. From then on she believed him and every Wenja that heard the story of the Beast Master wanted to see him with their own eyes.

He gave the Wenja courage and confidence again. He was bringing them back together!

Sayla entered the cave that Takkar used as a home. Takkar refused to take the cave at first, saying that he was perfectly comfortable living in the village, but the Wenja refused. They wanted Takkar to have the biggest and most protected spot in the village.

She frowned when she saw he was not there. She wanted to show her gratitude to Takkar by giving him a gift. But she perked up when she heard rustling and spun around to see Takkar.

At his side were his two rare beasts. The white wolf and his newest beast, the black-haired dhole.

Excitedly, Sayla walked up to Takkar, a big smile was plastered on her face.

"More Wenja come to us." Sayla said.

"They join your home, Sayla." Takkar said in his gruff voice. The two hounds beside him decided to rest near the fire while the two humans talked.

"They come for Takkar." She breathed. Sayla loved how Takkar didn't realize how special he was to the people. "They come to see the Beast Master."

She walked toward the entrance of the cave and motioned to all of the village. "Before you come, I was alone in cave. Now I walk outside with my people." She said proudly.

Sayla pulled out the gift she wanted to give Takkar. A club.

"Today, I find dead Udam. I take his ear. And his club." She presented it to him. "For you."

Takkar took the weapon. He examined it. It was made from the jawbone of a predator, with a hard rock bound to it with leather straps.

"I fear the Udam come tomorrow."

Takkar heard her words and gave his new club a practice swing, imagining that he was hitting the animalish Udam. Sayla grabbed the club and stared at it with great intensity, before looking at Takkar and smiling with a crazed look in her eyes.

"Now you crush them with their weapon. Beast Master."

"When Udam come, Wenja fight back." Takkar said. He left to get his tribe ready.

 **The Next Day**

The Wenja prepared for the coming Udam attack. They set up barricades of sharpened sticks and fires for the archers and spear-throwers.

All around the wolves and dholes fidgeted and paced. They could feel the trouble brewing around them. Black Hair and White Wolf barked and growled at any of their pack that tried to make more of a fuss.

"A Wenja hunter saw Udam nearby." Sayla said. "They come to attack, but Wenja ready." She whispered that last part into a severed Udam ear.

The wolves and dholes suddenly growled and howled. A few yards away, the Udam had arrived.

"ULL!" Sayla shrieked fearfully and angrily.

Takkar jumped over the barricade and charged straight for the Udam Leader. He jumped but was easily caught by the Udam.

Takkar had finally met the feared Udam leader, Ull. And he was even more frightening then the stories made him out to be.

He was a large man, easily towered over Takkar, with arms as thick as trees. He wore bones and the carcass of a slain cave bear. And his face . . . burned and melted severely by fire. Takkar could see bone a muscle exposed.

Ull picked Takkar up like he weighed nothing and snarled. "Softblood Wenja no stay. You leave. Or you die!" Ull was about to punch Takkar, but White Wolf had jumped and bit the Udam's arm.

Takkar was released and started beating his new club against Ull's massive body as he struggled against the beast. Ull let out a murderous scream and tossed White Wolf from his arm and onto Takkar.

"Kill them all!"

Ull left his Udam to deal with the Wenja. Sayla ran up to Takkar and helped picked him up. Takkar checked on White Wolf and found the animal to be okay.

"Many Udam." A Wenja said worriedly.

"We are many!" Sayla said. She was trying to rally and inspire her people. "Takkar and his beasts fight with us!"

That put the confidence right back in them. The wolves gave another howl and the dholes barked. Takkar readied a spear in one hand and his club in the other.

The Udam came in droves. They let out battle cries as they charged the Wenja. Takkar threw his spear and skewered the front Udam. Then he raised his club and charged. With a sickening crunch he crushed the second Udam.

His beasts dashed past him. Their claws shredded the Udam. Their teeth ripped the Udam apart. Many Udam screamed painfully and fearfully as the Wenja beasts killed them.

Takkar took his spear and started jabbing. He got one Udam in the face, then ducked under a swing of a club. Takkar jabbed his spear in the thigh of the burly Udam, pulled it out, then stuck him in the neck. Takkar charged and shoved his spear through an Udam's body.

Takkar tried to pull out his spear, but it was lodged. An arrow flew passed his head and imbedded in an Udam that came at him with a club. The Beastmaster looked behind him and saw Sayla readying another arrow.

Smiling, Takkar abandoned his spear and gripped his club. He charged and shattered an Udam's jaw in one blow. He struck again shattered a set of ribs, then struck them under the jaw. Next was a bashed in skull. Takkar deflected a club then kicked the Udam's knee, before swinging his weapon across the Udam's face.

Looking to his side he saw his wolves rip an Udam's arms off before moving onto the next meal. A stone shard pierced one of his wolves, but was ultimately unharmed. Takkar saw the spear thrower that tossed the shard killed two of his beasts with a spear to the face. Takkar reeled back on his club and threw it with tremendous force. The club struck the Udam center of the head, killing him.

Takkar smiled, but was then pushed to the ground by one of his wolves. Takkar struggled. He saw a crazed look in his wolf's eyes. Black Hair jumped on the wolf and the two tussled. Black Hair may have been a dhole, smaller than a wolf, but he was an alpha for a reason. In the end Black Hair won when he clawed out the wolf's eyes and then ripped out its throat.

Takkar thanked Black Hair before commanding it via whistle to attack an Udam. Takkar examined the dead wolf and pulled out the stone shard in its shoulder blade. There was a green residue on it. After smelling and recoiling, Takkar deduced that it was some kind of poison.

An Udam screamed from behind him. Takkar quickly spun around and opened the man-beast's jugular. Takkar then ducked under another club and stabbed the Udam in the side. He then buried the blade in the Udam's back.

A cry for help caught Takkar's attention. He turned around to see a towering Udam, covered in bones and wearing a sabre-tooth skull, wielding a massive club. The Udam broke the legs of a Wenja huntress and then smashed his head in. A spear struck him but did not kill or phase him. He swung his massive club and struck the Wenja spear thrower in the head. The head went flying.

Takkar charged the Udam and threw the shard. It landed in his back. The Udam turned around to see who had hit him, but then he started groaning and attacked the first ting he saw in front of him. His fellow Udam. Takkar quickly grabbed a spear and lit the weapon on fire.

He ran toward the Chieftain who had already killed three of his fellow Udam in the time it took Takkar to light a spear. Takkar thrusted his spear, jabbing any Udam in his path. A jab to the chest, neck, face. And then he threw the spear. It stuck to the Chieftain's back, but didn't kill him. It did light him on fire though.

Takkar then grabbed his bow and started firing at Udam from a distance. He loosed an arrow, getting a headshot. Another got an Udam in the chest, causing him to stumble, but a second put him down. Takkar loosed a fourth arrow getting a charging Udam in the leg, then he commanded his dhole to finish the man.

Suddenly, something fell from the sky. It shattered on the ground and released a noxious green gas. Wenja caught in the green fog coughed and died after being exposed too much. The fumes were so poisonous that it even killed the grass as quickly as the Wenja.

Takkar saw the Udam tossing fleshy sacs of the green gas. More Wenja fell from the toxic gas. Takkar commanded the Wenja to attack, but there were too many Udam protecting the scourge.

Takkar recalled his hunters and then whistled for his owl. The owl swooped down and grabbed something from Takkar's hand. The Udam weren't the only ones with bombs and this one was a gift from nature itself.

Through the eyes of the bird Takkar saw the Udam approaching, with the scourge heavily guarded. On his command, the owl released the bomb and the Udam were swarmed by bees. The Udam screamed. They danced and swatted trying to escape from the angry swarm, but it soon became too much for them and they died from the hundreds of poisonous stings of the insects.

The Udam, seeing how many of their numbers had fallen, retreated and ran away from the Wenja village.

Takkar approached Sayla who was trying to feed herbs to a huntress who got exposed to the rot fumes.

"Go, Takkar! Hunt them down!"

He didn't need to be told twice. Takkar grabbed some hunters and whistled a command to his hounds. The dholes and wolves charged after the Udam, with Takkar and the Wenja right behind them.

They followed the Udam to a nearby camp where they had set up bone trees. Stands made from the wood and the bones of Oros beasts. The Udam wanted to lay claim to the Wenja land, but they would not have it.

Takkar called for his flightful companion again and had his owl drop another bee bomb on the Udam. Then from the cliffs, Takkar and the Wenja threw spears and arrows, skewering the Udam.

The area was clear and the Wenja began burning the bone trees. This however insighted the wrath of the Udam and they came charging in with savagery and strength. But the Wenja came not only with equal power, but the strength of nature as well.

Wolves and dholes howled in unison as they joined the Wenja in battle. Clubs smashed, arrows flew, spears skewered, beasts rended and tore. By the time the last bone tree burned, so did the last Udam's blood spill.

Takkar and the others returned to the village, bloodied, haggard. Even the beasts were tired, as they plopped on the ground and started licking their wounds. White Wolf and Black Hair lied together on the highest rocks, tending to each other, licking the blood matted to their furs.

The village was in even worse state. The Udam, though fought off, left their mark. Bodies, bloodied and beaten lied everywhere. Wenja and Udam blood alike stained the ground of their new home. It brought sorrow and fury to Takkar's soul.

The Wenja tried tending to whoever was still alive. In the distance, Takkar could see Tensay performing rituals to put the spirits of the warriors to rest. Their bodies would be buried among other Wenja in a grave not far from their village.

Takkar found Sayla hovering over a body. She looked like she was trying to put herbs in his mouth, but she stopped as soon as she looked up and saw the Beastmaster.

"You kill Ull?" She stood up anxiously, with hope in her eyes.

"The Udam are dead. Ull still lives." He said simply.

"H-he returns to the north." Sayla hiccupped. She grabbed her ear as if it were in pain. "Many Wenja die today." A pained scream left her throat, loud, mournful, and echoed into the valley, as if to tell all of Oros her suffering.

Her eyes settled on the body of a dead Udam. She rushed toward it, pulling out her knife and cutting the man-beast's ear off.

"Many Udam die today . . ." Takkar tried to console. His hand placed itself on her shoulder. "Wenja stand strong! We Live!"

Sayla looked up at him, but quickly looked at the fresh ear she cut off. Her blood-stained face could not hide the anguish she felt inside. "I need the ear of Ull. He never stops until all Wenja are dead."

Takkar clasped her shaking hand with both of his. The gatherer looked him straight in the eyes, her trembling stopped from his firm touch.

"Soon he meets my blade." He promised.

Her breathing slowed, and her eyes slowly left his and fanned out to the village and its villagers. Sayla stood up and walked past Takkar. As he turned Takkar saw all of the village standing before him, with Tensay at the forefront. All of them had determined faces and all of them looked at Takkar with respect.

Tensay then bumped his fist against his chest. "For Wenja."

A hunter did the same "For Wenja."

A huntress repeated. "For Wenja.

Soon all Wenja followed, until it came to Sayla.

She turned to Takkar, giving him a look, and thumped her breast.

"For Wenja."


	4. The Ashback Mammoth

Takkar approached Tensay's hut, hoping the shaman would be there. But as he looked his eyes settled on a particular concoction sitting on the table.

His nose tingled as he sniffed the purplish-red liquid in the skull-bowl.

"Takkar has good nose!" Tensay said, coming out of nowhere. "You smell my spirit brew! Strongest drink in Oros! Each sip gives you a new spirit journey. Maybe you dance in the clouds. Or become a beast."

Takkar eyed the brew and tried reaching for it.

"No, no!" The shaman pulled away. "Too strong for you."

The hunter narrowed his eyes. Tensay's words were like a challenge. "Give me drink." He said strongly. "Then we see who's strongest."

Seeing the strength once again in his Chief's eyes, the shaman grabbed a few more ingredients from his hut and added them to the brew.

"Follow your spirit Takkar! But once you drink, I no save you."

Tensay handed him the skull-cup. Takkar drank the contents fervently. He sighed from the last gulp and quickly felt the side effects. First his throat went numb, then his body felt both light and heavy, then his mind became fuzzy, his vision blurred, then he finally blacked out.

He rose up from the ground. He could see the land of Oros from the sky. Down below he saw the trees and birds. He saw a herd of deer bound across the land and the predators that stalked them from the shadows. Takkar soared into the snowy mountains of Udam Land.

His spirit flown toward a single large creature. In his spirit went, into the body of the Ashback Mammoth.

Takkar now saw through the eyes of the great giant. He could see what it saw, felt what it felt, and knew what it knew. And he knew he was on a mission.

The Ashback was on its own. Odd for a mammoth, but it had its reasons. The Ashback was coming to an age where it would no longer be a calf and to prove its worth to the herd it took on a mission from the elders.

Trudging through the snow, the Ashback found what it was looking for. A graveyard of mangled mammoths. Everywhere were the remains of its fallen brethren. Torn apart, ripped to shreds . . . murdered. It brought sorrow to the Ashback to see its fellow mammoths slaughtered as such. This is where the elders wanted it to be.

The Ashback pressed on further to find the source of this travesty, the reason the elders sent him.

A rhino. A two-horn, but it was unnatural and otherworldly. It glowed a vibrant shade of blood-red over an armored body of blackness. Its eyes were a hellish red and when it uttered an unnatural roar it revealed its insides contained fire.

No man could see this thing, but the Ashback, as well as all animals, could. For this was no mere rhino, but a malevolent spirit. This bad spirit brought pain and death wherever it went, and it focused solely on killing the Ashback's own kind.

The mammoth didn't even wait and charged the evil spirit. The rhino spirit was quick however and managed to avoid getting hit. Turning around as fast as it could, the Ashback tried to go in again for another charge, but the rhino spirit had already went for it.

The Ashback trumpeted in pain as it felt two horns press into its body. The rhino reared its head back and tried to stab the Ashback again. Growling, the mammoth turned and smacked the spirit with its trunk and tusks.

The rhino spirit back tracked, throwing its horn trying to get distance, but the Ashback's girth and trunk made it difficult for it to get away. Both charged at each other. The spirit was cut by the mammal's sharp tusks, but it severely bruised the mammoth's trunk with its horn.

The evil spirit ran and came back around. The Ashback swung its trunk and tusks, trying to hit the charging apparition. The rhino struck its tree trunk-like legs, severely hurting the beast. The Ashback trembled, nearly falling, but it would not give up.

It stood its ground and gave chase, striking again, pushing the evil spirit away and damaging it. The mammoth swung its head again, cutting with its tusks and smashing with its trunk. From the cuts of the rhino, poured out fire. Its glowing red eyes started bleeding from all the internal damage.

Just as the Ashback was about to finish it, the spirit manifested into smoke and tried to escape through a ravine.

The mammoth gave chase, charging, and smashing through blocks of ice and snow. It could not be allowed to escape or the land would be forever cursed.

The Ashback came to an open field at the end of the ravine. It slowly trudged, before getting spooked by a gush of water spewing from the ground. Geysers, littered the new area, as well as the fallen bodies of its fellow mammoths.

And the reason for those bodies were also there: in the form of two single-horned wooly rhinos. Their brown fur was caked in blood and their sharp horns were stained with the same ruby life-giving fluid. Their crazed eyes landed the mammoth, and both gave out a loud battle-groan.

These two were the cause of the all the death of this land, the Ashback figured out. The evil spirit possessed them, drove them into a blood-mad rage to kill all the living creatures in the surrounding area. To kill the vile spirit, it would have to fight its two hosts first.

The Ashback charged without hesitance. Their long horns scarped against the mammoth's thick hide, but the Ashback managed to knock one away. The second rhino u-turned and tried to pierce the back of the mammoth's legs. But the Ashback spun around quickly enough and smashed its tusks against the mad-beast's face.

Before the Ashback could stomp on and finish the blood-horn rhino, the second charged and rammed against the Ashback's tusks causing the massive mammal to stumble.

The Ashback corrected itself and threw its head out. It struck against the blood-horn, getting in several good hits. But the second rhino got back up and joined its fellow in assaulting the mammoth.

Both slowly approached the mammoth. They waved their long horns up and down threateningly. The Ashback stepped back. It trumpeted warningly, throwing its tusks and trunk. But then it bumped into a wall and became cornered. It was stuck.

The rhino's dragged their feet against the dirt, ready to risk a charge and kill the mammoth. The Ashback itself also prepared. If it was going to die, it would die fighting.

But then, all of a sudden, the earth beneath them rumbled and a geyser unexpectedly erupted between the three.

The woolly rhino's were spooked. Hot water splashed on their faces. Their moment of shock and pain would be the Ashback's chance. When the geyser settled down the Ashback charged, splitting up the two and knocking them down.

It turned around and headed back for one of the downed rhinos. Just before one of the mad animals could get up, the Ashback knocked it a small distance. It was not dead, but severely injured. The Ashback was about to finish it off, but the new geyser shook and erupted again. The amount of force and scalding hot water launched the beast into the air and landed with an earth-shaking thud. Dead and broken.

The Ashback couldn't relax yet, for the second rhino was still left. And the Ashback was reminded with a sharp pain in its side, courtesy of the sole blood-horn rhino. The mammoth trumpeted in pain as the rhino, kept stabbing and digging. Such a wound would hurt and scar for months, but it would not kill the young mammoth.

The Ashback spun around as fast as it could and hooked its tusks on the mammal's horn. It spun, swinging the animal through the air, before throwing it, making it land with a painful thud. The Ashback then picked up a nearby fallen tree and tossed it.

It landed on the rhino, pining it to the ground. The Ashback approached it. The rhino groaned and struggled to escape the tree, but it would not. The Ashback raised itself up on its hind legs and crushed the animal's head. Sparing it and its brother's life from the malevolent spirit's influence.

A red mist escaped from the mouths of the two rhinos and formed the spirit that had plagued both the land and the two woolly rhinos.

It roared, spewing fires, but it was all a show. The Ashback took one strong, courageous step and the spirit backed off in fear. Without its host it wasn't as strong. The mammoth let out a resounding battle-trumpet and charged. The spirit tried to run, but the Ashback caught up to it.

It knocked it down, crushed it with its massive feet, and finally, The Ashback finished the spirit off by stabbing it with its sharp tusks.

The spirit's body dissipated into nothingness. The Ashback breathed heavily. The battle was over. One of its legs kneeled, but quickly stood back up. It had just won a spectacular battle, feeing the land from a malevolent force. It would stand proud at this moment and would rest when it returned to the herd.

The Ashback mammoth stumbled away. But the lumbering animal was getting smaller. No, Takkar was getting farther from the beast. His spirit was leaving the body of the great young mammoth.

As his spirit soared through the skies, Takkar contemplated on his experience sharing a body with one of the mightiest beasts of Oros.

He was strong. Stronger then he ever felt before. He could still feel pain, but not as much thanks to the thick hide of the mammoth. And though he was less flexible, the mighty strength and speed of the the Ashback more then made up for it.

Takkar felt like he could have lifted a mountain with the animal's strength.

But unfortantley it was over. The mammoth would return to its herd and Takakr would return to his body. And as it did, Takakr woke with a sudden gasp, followed by a fitful of coughing.

"Takkar!" Tensay approached him gleefully. Apparently the Shaman had left him outside his hut for most of the day. "You return! What adventures have you to tell? What experiences?"

Takkar got up. Quite easily in fact. Despite being out for most of the day and his tongue still somewhat numb, he was fully energized. The Wenja Chief practically sprung up.

At first, Takkar was confused, but then he figured out, though his body may be weak, thanks to the Ashback, he was strong in spirit, juts like the maginificent beast.

"I walked as a mighty beast." Takkar began to explain.

As Takkar regailed the shaman and those who overheard and decided to listen with his spirit-adventure, he realized something. No, more like felt something. His spirit adventure ended, but something told him that it was only the beginning.

"Tensay . . . can you make more special brew?"


	5. Jayma the Huntress

Moons had passed as Takkar traveled through south-eastern Oros. Here the beasts were mightier then just wolves and dholes. Jaguars, panthers, lions . . . sabreteeth. They were fast, sneaky, and strong. A deadly combination and one he was more than happy to command.

The Jaguar, Spots he had named her, was a stealthy hunter. When first encountering her, she had nearly dug her teeth into his neck and left a sizable scratch on his thigh. After dropping a pound of meat in front of her, the cautious cat took the easy meal instead of the difficult one.

As she ate, Takkar reached out to her, connecting his soul to hers. The beast growled and snarled, but after a moment he connected with her and she was as tame as the rest of his beasts.

She became quite valuable in hunts. While hunting deer, she would creep low next to him. He would ready an arrow and then command her to charge. She moved as fast as a thrown spear and struck with equal force. The deer would scatter, but Takkar would have taken down a second or third. Doubling, tripling his bounty.

Unfortunately, the foreign tribe that ruled these humid parts of Oros were not as easy to hunt as deer.

Izila, the Sun-Walkers.

Tensay told stories about them. About when the Wenja were defeated by the Udam, the Izila scavenged the remaining survivors. They enslaved many Wenja, Tensay included. The Izila would work the Wenja to the bone, forcing them to erect their monuments in honor of their sun god Xuli. The ones that could no longer work, were sacrificed in their gods name . . . by burning them alive.

Tensay had barely escaped, before he was sacrificed. He did not escape unscathed if his burn scars were any indication. They even managed to give Ull his nasty facial scars. A feat that surprised many to this day, even Takkar.

Even with that information, the first time Takkar faced off against a group of Izila he had underestimated them. They were skinny, small things, wearing ridiculous masks and body paint. Nowhere near as meaty or intimidating as the Udam.

Oh, how wrong he had been

The Izila were twice as tough as the Udam. Their masks and stone armor were great protection against arrows and spears and the way they commanded fire was unsettling. The Wenja recognized fire as an uncontrollable force. Best used for lighting the night, they were reluctant to use it in a fight. But the Izila had no such fear. They threw pots of raging fire that burned the skin. They contained fire! Mastered it. And if that weren't bad enough, they were somewhat immune to fire. It did not hurt them like it hurt Takkar.

They were nimble and fast, always rolling away from an arrow or a spear. Clever too. They strategized, unlike the Udam who just attacked what was in front. They were deadly and if it weren't for a stroke of luck, his first encounter with them would have been his last as well.

Behind him Takkar heard the sound of Spots ripping into the flesh of a dead Izila. He dislodged his club from the skull of a dead spear thrower, with a wet squelch. He looked around and examined the bodies he and his beast just made.

Takkar took a different approach when it came to the Izila. Instead of attacking them head-on, he used stealth to bring most of the dangerous ones down in one fell swoop. Leaving the others, confused and scattered. Then he and Spots finished them all with speed and precision.

While raiding anything of value from their corpses, Takkar allowed the jaguar to recuperate with one of the bloody bodies.

They would move in search of their target in a moment.

The Wenja spoke of three individuals that could be a great help to the tribe. Three that could inspire and bring more Wenja back to them. One of them was an old huntress. Jayma, she was called. Said to be unlike any hunter that was ever born. One of the few that could take down a wooly rhino on her own.

Takkar was eager to find this woman. He was hoping she could teach him new ways of tracking and hunting beasts of Oros.

After Spots got her fill, they moved on. Coming up to a cave and there was a nearby tree with scratches all over it. Observing it more closely the marks appeared to belong to a bear.

A whistle suddenly drew his attention. He barely reacted as an arrow was fired and flew under his arm.

Takkar grunted angrily. Ripping the arrow from the tree, he faced the three hunters in front of him. Baring his teeth and ready for a fight.

"Back!" He barked.

"You are Wenja." The head huntress said. Lifting her arm, she showed off her shell bracelet that all Wenja wore.

Takkar relaxed realizing he was among his kind. He spotted Spots crouching through the grass and subtly motioned for the cat to calm down. Spots slowly backed up into the tall grass.

"You are Jayma." Takkar said. The woman fit the description he was given of her. A woman in her mid-life, gray hair, wearing skin-trophies, scars, the most notable one going from her cheek and neck, and hunter markings.

"I am."

"Takkar." He thumped his chest. "The Wenja need you and your hunters back."

Jayma slowly approached Takkar. She appraised him with her eyes, looking at him up and down. Takkar could hear Spots growling from her hiding place.

"You are young, loud . . ." She looked down, "big feet like mammoth." She mocked.

The two hunters behind her laughed at her jib. One even stomped his feet funny-like to emphasize Jayma's joke.

"If the rest of Wenja like you, then no point in returning." Jayma said. "You'll starve and other tribes defeat you again."

Takkar glared at her. "Wenja strong. Stronger than before. You can make us stronger."

She looked at the tree that was scratched up. "We chase bear for two suns. You scared it off."

Takkar scoffed and tossed her arrow back at her feet. "Two suns, one bear? I find bear fast—show you how to track." Takkar challenged.

The two hunters behind Jayma looked at each other. The huntress knelt down to grab her arrow. She seemed intrigued.

"Big words for Mammoth Feet." She smirked. "Show us how to track." The hunters laughed. "If you find bear . . . we return to Wenja. Remember to walk softly."

The three turned around to leave, but swiftly Jayma spun around and launched the same arrow back at Takkar. This time the arrow landed between his legs. Just shy of his manhood.

"Ah!" Takkar nearly jumped. He growled at the taunting laughter of the three hunters.

When they were gone the Beastmaster studied the tracks. They looked fresh, so was the blood on the tree. Still wet. Along with the tracks was a trail of blood from the bear's fresh kill. Takkar followed it.

From the shadows Jayma and her hunters watched Takkar track the bear. They followed him from afar, making sure they didn't alert the jaguar stalking him. At first they thought the big cat was hunting, but they figured out quickly that it was stalking for Takkar.

"Stories are true . . ." Pupa said in awe.

"Beastmaster . . ." Her third hunter, Kowvoa, said back in equal awe.

Jayma remained silent but she was impressed that a sly creature such as a jaguar followed the Wenja. Not as much as her fellow hunters, but enough to pique her interest.

Like everyone in Oros, she heard the stories. How a Wenja male could command animals to do his bidding. Birds of prey were his eyes and he could see over vast distances with them. Wolves and Lions bowed to him like he was their chief—their pack leader. The Beastmaster had even kicked the Udam out of the West and back into the North.

But despite what she heard, if the Beastmaster was nothing more then a puffed chest and a loud grunter then she wouldn't even bother. Commanding beasts, no matter how impressive, didn't make a Wenja Chief. If he couldn't hunt, if he couldn't gather, if he couldn't fight, if he could do nothing but send the beasts to fight for him, then he was not the hope of the Wenja.

Thankfully, he showed many signs of expert tracking. Jayma saw him examine the dirt and follow the tracks. The smears of blood led to the corpse of a deer, freshly eaten. To her surprise Takkar sniffed the air and headed north. The correct direction to the bear.

"Strong smell . . ." Jayma nodded.

Only the best hunters could track like wolves, by sense of smell. That was an added bonus.

They followed Takkar for an hour, only stopping to pick up the trail of the beast. Takkar first stopped at a tree with the torn remains of a bee hive. Then he moved to a destroyed camp. The bear had ripped apart a Wenja all for the fish they had caught.

Jayma had noticed the Beastmaster remained a bit longer at the camp. He took their bracelet before reciting the final rites of the Wenja's passing. Jayma's heart went out to the lost life and her appreciation of Takkar increased. He was considerate of his people. He cared about them—about her.

She felt an itch between her legs. It has been many moons since she last had a mate in her bed. After watching Takkar, with his strong, lean muscles, keen eyes, clever mind, and voracious tenacity for hours she had started to feel stirrings in her stomach.

But she crushed this feeling before it got out of hand. "Shame . . ." she muttered, "were I just a bit younger."

Putting her carnal feelings aside, they followed Takkar to the river. The very location that the bear had traveled too.

They watched Takkar look around the area only to be ambushed by the very creature he was tracking. The bear charged out of some bushes. The hunters watched Takkar expertly fire three arrows before the beast could reach him. An arrow imbedded in the bear's head, shoulder and back, but it did not slow down. Takkar rolled out of the way just before the bear took a massive swipe at him. The Wenja threw his bow away to switch to the spear on his back.

"Nimble . . ." Pupa mumbled.

Takkar stabbed the bear in the paw, causing it to back off a little. It stood on its hind legs, towering over Takkar and roared before slamming its front legs down. Once again Takkar had to leap away before he was crushed.

"The bear still has fight." Kowvoa said.

"Yes. Seems it had time to heal." Jayma wondered if they would have to intervene.

Takkar grunted and shouted threateningly. He thrusted his spear, stabbing the bear's strong hide. It spun around and scratched his arm. Takkar winced, but he did not back down. He stepped back a little and threw his spear. It imbedded in the upper back of the beast, but it was hardly phased by the pointy stick.

Takkar pulled out another spear, but the bear charged him and tackled him to the ground. The tip of the spear broke off and was now more a dagger. The bear bit Takkar's arm, but just as it did, Takkar impaled the broken spear through the beast's eye.

It backed off and swiped the piece of stone out of it's now bleeding eye socket. Angry now and fueled by adrenaline the bear and Takkar circled each other.

Takkar took out his last spear and returned the glare. The bear and the Wenja finally stopped and it looked like they would clash, but before the bear could take the first step, Takkar unleashed a command.

"Jyah!" And out of the bushes came Spots.

She lept onto the bear and tore at its head. The bear roared in a pain. It swung every which way to shake the cat off its back. Spots bit it on the neck and head. Her claws dug into its thick skin. She clawed it and managed to bite its ear off before finally being tossed down.

By then the bear was heavily hurt and confused. Takkar took his chance and charged, thrusting his final spear with all his might and shoving it through the beast's neck.

Takkar felt the spear go half way through the neck before it stopped. The bear let out a final roar, but it came out as more a gurgle as blood poured from its maw. The bear collapsed from its own weight and died at Takkar's feet.

"Good fight." Pupa said.

"Good hunt." Kowvoa clarified.

"Yes . . . good hunt."

The stirring in her loins returned. Seeing the young hunter, bloodied, freshly scarred, towering superior over one of the mightiest Oros beasts—

She shook her head. "Still needs experience. But Mammoth Feet not fool. Good Wenja Chief. Good hunter."

Jayma stood up from their hiding spot atop the cliff. She whistled to get Takkar's attention.

"Good Hunting, Mammoth Feet. We tire the beast for you. Give you easy kill."

Spots growled up at the woman. Takkar waved his hand to call the cat.

"Desperate beast more dangerous. Still my kill."

Jayma nodded. "True words." She pointed her spear westward. "We go join our Wenja brethren, as promised. Hope to see you soon . . . Chief."

They disappeared from the cliff and headed west. Ready to rejoin and train their Wenja brothers and sisters.


End file.
